1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to incontinence monitoring and/or position monitoring of patients.
2. Description of Related Art
Incontinence is universal among the very young and increasingly common among the very old. Incontinence may also be a consequence of surgical procedures or neurological impairments. There is a need to determine when an absorbent product, e.g., a diaper or bed pad, for a patient who is incontinent is wet, without disturbing the patient.
A wide variety of means have been devised to detect when a diaper is wet without removing the diaper. These include visual indicators and electronic wetness detection systems. Visible indicators for disposable diapers typically are chemicals within the deep layers of the diaper, adjacent to a translucent moisture impermeable outer layer, that change color when wet. For a caregiver to see that the diaper is wet and needs to be changed, the indicator region of the diaper must be visible. This requires undressing the wearer of the diaper when the user is dressed, and pulling back blankets, sheets and bed clothes when the wearer is in bed. It also may require rolling a wearer over to view the rear of the diaper if the wearer is asleep on their back. The process of obtaining a view of chemical wetness indictors is clearly disruptive of the wearers activities. It may be particularly disruptive when checking for wetness awakes a sleeper whether or not their diaper is actually wet and in need of changing. The chief virtue of visible wetness indicators is that they are inexpensive to produce.
Various electronic diaper wetness detection indication systems have been developed specifically to provide remote sensing of when a diaper needs to be changed. These typically involve at least two components attached to the diaper. Systems dependent on radio transmitters also require a remote radio receiver. Electronic wetness detection systems usually have an inexpensive disposable sensor within the diaper and a reusable alarm or transmitter attached to the outside of the diaper that is connected to the wetness sensor within. Typically, the sensing element includes two or more conducting elements separated by a wetable membrane that insulates between the conductors when dry and conducts electricity or otherwise changes impedance between the sensor when wet with urine or other electrolyte solutions. The electrical power that activates the external signaling circuit may be sourced from a battery in the attached electronics package or by galvanic reaction between metallic electrodes in the diaper.
For audio alarms, the detachable reusable electronic package produces an audible signal to alert the caregiver when urine is sensed within the diaper. For radio frequency (RF) alerting systems, a radio transmission is made by the reusable external transmitter when urine is sensed within the diaper. This RF transmission is received by a remote device that is configured to alert a caregiver that the diaper is wet.
Audible electronic systems have the disadvantage of requiring the caregiver to be within hearing range at the time the audible alert is generated. Furthermore, sound generated can be disruptive of ongoing activities, such as sleep or social interaction, particularly for incontinent adults. Radio alerting systems can be more private in signaling the need to change a wet diaper or incontinence bed pad.
While the electronic systems described above have the advantage of not requiring a caregiver to physically disturb the wearer of the diaper in order to determine if the diaper is wet, the reusable electronics package attached to the diaper may be uncomfortably large and must be recovered after each diaper change for reattachment to a fresh diaper. The need to recover and reuse a relatively expensive electronics package attached to a soiled diaper every time the diaper is changed is onerous, especially when the diaper is soiled with feces. Experience shows that the detachable electronics packages are often misplaced or lost in institutional settings when diapers are removed because wearers are being bathed or changed or having a medical procedure.
All previous electronic wetness sensors for incontinence products require two or more sensing elements separated by an insulating region, attached to the electronic sensing circuit. Usually, these sense wetness by the increased conductance between two electrodes, but changing capacitance has also been used to detect wetness. A problem with the prior art incontinence detecting systems is that they require the attachment of a powered audible or radio-signaling device to the diaper and that they require sensing electrodes to function.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to overcome the above problems and others by providing a system and method of use thereof for remotely detecting when a diaper is wet without the need to attach a powered signaling device to the diaper. It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method of use thereof for remotely detecting the position of a patient. Still further objects will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description.
Accordingly, I have invented a patient monitoring system that includes a plurality of resonators, each responsive to at least one wireless excitation signal for causing a unique change in the excitation signal and/or outputting a unique wireless response signal. The system also includes an article configured to be worn by a patient. The article includes the plurality of resonators received at predetermined locations thereon. The article is configured to avoid movement of each resonator relative to a body of the patient when it is being worn. A transceiver supplies a first excitation signal, detects for each resonator responding to the first excitation signal a strength of the unique change in the first excitation signal and/or a strength of the unique response signal and determines therefrom a first relative position of each responding resonator with respect to each other.
The transceiver can also supply a second excitation signal, detect for each resonator responding to the second excitation signal a strength of the unique change in the second excitation signal and a strength of the unique response signal and determines therefrom a second relative position of each responding resonator with respect to each other.
The system can also include a detector responsive to a change in the first and second relative positions of one or more responding resonators for generating an indication related to a change in position of the patient between the first and second excitation signals, or a lack change in the first and second relative positions of one or more responding resonators for generating an indication related to an absence of a change in position of the patient between the first and second excitation signals.
The transceiver can include at least one antenna position adjacent a patient receiving surface for transmitting excitation signals. The system can further include a detector responsive to interaction between the at least one antenna at each resonator responding to each excitation signal for detecting the strength of the unique change in the excitation signal caused by each resonator. The patient receiving surface can be a surface of a mattress or a surface of a chair.
The transceiver can also include at least one antenna positioned adjacent the patient receiving surface for transmitting excitation signals and for receiving after each excitation signal is terminated the unique response signal output by each resonator responding thereto. The detector can be coupled to the at least one antenna for detecting the strength of each unique response signal received thereby.
The transceiver can also include at least one first antenna positioned adjacent the patient receiving surface for transmitting each excitation signal and the detector can be responsive to interaction between at least one second antenna and each resonator responding to each excitation signal during transmission thereof for detecting the strength of the unique change in the excitation signal caused by each resonator.
The transceiver can also include a plurality of antennas each positioned at a unique location adjacent the patient receiving surface, with each antenna individually selectable for transmitting at least one excitation signal. The detector can be selectively coupled to each antenna for receiving therefrom the unique change in the excitation signal caused by each resonator responding to the excitation signal.
The unique change in the first excitation signal can include energy absorption in one or more frequencies of the excitation signal. The unique response signal of each resonator can include a unique frequency.
I have also invented a patient position monitoring method that includes providing an article configured to be worn by a patient. The article includes a plurality of resonators affixed thereto. Each resonator is responsive to a wireless excitation signal for causing a unique change in the excitation signal and/or outputting a unique wireless response signal. The resonators are stimulated with a first wireless excitation signal when the article is being worn by a patient. For each resonator responding to the first excitation signal, the unique change in the excitation signal and/or the unique response signal is detected. For each resonator responding to the first excitation signal a signal strength of the unique change in the excitation signal and/or the unique response signal is determined. From these signal strengths, the relative locations of the resonators responding to the first excitation signal with respect to each other is determined.
The method can also include stimulating the resonators with a second wireless excitation signal and detecting for each resonator responding to the second excitation signal, the unique change in the excitation signal and/or the unique response signal. For each resonator responding to the second excitation signal, a signal strength of the unique change in the excitation signal and/or the unique response signal is determined. From the thus determined signal strengths, the relative locations of the resonators responding to the second excitation signal with respect to each is determined.
Lastly, I have invented a patient orientation monitoring system that includes an article configured to be worn by a patient and a plurality of resonators supported by the article, with each resonator responsive to a wireless excitation signal for causing a unique change in the excitation signal and/or outputting a unique wireless response signal. The system can also include means for outputting a first wireless excitation signal when the article is being worn by the patient and for receiving from each resonator responding to the first excitation signal the unique change in the excitation signal and/or the unique response signal therefor. A determining means can determine therefrom first relative positions of the responding resonators with respect to each other.
The determining means can include a detector programmed to determine from the first relative positions of the responding resonators with respect to each other an orientation of the patient.
The means for outputting and receiving can also output a second wireless excitation signal and can receive from each resonator responding to the second excitation signal the unique change in the excitation signal and the unique response signal. The determining means can determine therefrom second relative positions of the responding resonators with respect to each other. The determining means can include a detector programmed to determine from the first and second relative positions of the responding resonators with respect to each other whether the patient has changed orientation.
The means for outputting and receiving can include at least one antenna positioned adjacent a patient receiving surface for transmitting each excitation signal and for receiving from each resonator responding to the excitation signal the unique change in the excitation signal and/or the unique response signal. A determining means can include a detector responsive to each antenna for receiving therefrom for each resonator responding to the excitation signal the unique change in the excitation signal and/or the unique response signal.